CDC delays COVID-19 vaccine orders for children, hindering access in many states
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has postponed procurement of COVID-19 shots for the federal Vaccine for Children program, leaving more than half of U.S. children without guaranteed vaccine access and delaying state purchases.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has postponed finalizing procurement of this year’s COVID-19 vaccine for the federally funded Vaccine for Children (VFC) program, creating uncertainty for more than half of American children who rely on the program for free immunizations. The delay also prevents at least 11 states and one U.S. territory, which normally purchase all pediatric vaccines through VFC contracts, from obtaining the shots for their school-year campaigns.
"The delay in VFC means delays in these states’ ability to get vaccine for all children," said Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases and chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, said the agency has not yet finalized procurement decisions for COVID-19 vaccines through the VFC and Section 317 programs and that it will release additional information soon. The statement emphasized a commitment to ensuring that vaccines purchased with federal funds are appropriate for the populations they serve.
Current CDC guidance recommends COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children aged six months to 17 years through shared clinical decision-making, and it advises vaccination for children who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. Leading medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), continue to recommend vaccination for all infants aged six to 23 months and for children aged two to 18 who are at higher risk or who wish to be vaccinated.
"The youngest children remain at high risk for severe disease," the AAP said in a news release, noting that hospitalization rates for infants 6-11 months during the 2024-25 respiratory virus season exceeded those of adults aged 50-64.
The postponement occurs amid broader debates over pediatric COVID-19 vaccination policy and follows a federal judge’s reversal of earlier changes to vaccine guidance made by the current HHS leadership.